Rampaging Through the Heavens: Starting by sending Chan Ho-nam to Stanley

Chapter 58 This world is utterly rotten.

Chen Yuan stood up and silently watched Zhang Wuji carefully feed the terrified children water.

A short while later, he came over, his small face carrying a heaviness and reluctance beyond his years.

He had only recently left his parents and could empathize with such situations.

"Brother Chen, what's the next step?"

Chen Yuan did not answer the question, but instead asked a question in return.

"What do you suggest we do?"

Zhang Wuji was silent for a moment, clearly not expecting Chen Yuan to throw this question back at him.

He thought about it seriously for a while, and then tentatively spoke, using the simple principles of a child's world.

"Report...report to the authorities?"

Chen Yuan glanced down at Zhang Wuji.

"Kid, remember this: the Tartars rule the world now."

"This government is rotten to the core."

"It's better to hope for divine intervention than to rely on them."

A look of confusion flashed across Zhang Wuji's face, and he shook his head as if he understood but didn't.

Chen Yuan sighed.

"Let's wait for Lao Huo to bring back food, rest for the night, and then report to the authorities tomorrow."

It wasn't that Chen Yuan was reluctant to part with the food in his personal space.

The main problem was that during the time I was learning the Nine Yang Divine Skill in the valley, most of it was eaten by that guy, the Fire-Worker Monk.

There wasn't much food left in the space, and they still needed to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.

Fortunately, the town wasn't far, so we could just have the Fire-Worker Monk make the trip.

......

The officials arrived late the following afternoon.

Chen Yuan had sent the Fire-Worker Monk to report to the authorities through the manager of a restaurant in the morning, but he didn't expect them to arrive so late.

He certainly didn't think the shopkeeper would dare to neglect this matter; it could only be that these officials acted in this way.

The head of the officials was a middle-aged man wearing a wrinkled blue official's uniform, who called himself Hu Dianshi.

Behind him followed several yamen runners, their hats askew and their eyes still sleepy.

The group was initially taken aback when they saw the Beggars' Sect disciples lying haphazardly inside the temple.

When he could see the tattered bags and patches on the corpses and their distinctive filthy clothing by the light, his expression changed slightly.

They exchanged a knowing glance; these were members of the Beggars' Sect.

When their gaze fell upon the group of shivering children, their brows furrowed in unison.

His expression didn't seem like he was seeing people in dire need of rescue, but rather like he was seeing a bunch of thorny troubles.

Hu Dianshi covered his nose with his sleeve, tiptoed to avoid the black bloodstains on the ground, and walked over to Chen Yuan.

He lifted his eyelids and first looked her up and down.

Then his gaze lingered for a moment on the number of bags and scattered items on the corpses of the beggars, as if he were assessing something.

When he caught a glimpse of the pyrotechnic monk standing like an iron tower beside him, his eye twitched involuntarily.

"Did you kill him?"

When Hu Dianshi spoke, his official tone was drawn out and slurred.

"Yes."

Chen Yuan answered readily.

"They trafficked children; they deserve to die."

"Yes, child trafficking should be severely punished under current laws."

Hu Dianshi stroked the few sparse whiskers on his chin.

"However... young hero, your act of 'using martial arts to break the law' and taking matters into your own hands has ultimately violated the rules of the imperial court."

He gestured with his hand in a circle.

"Look at all these corpses scattered on the ground. Shouldn't we have an autopsy done? Shouldn't we gather them up on straw mats and bury them in a pit?"

"And these children."

Hu Dianshi gestured towards the group of children in the corner.

"We had to find out their origins one by one, register them, and then send them back to their places of origin by car and manpower."

"Each of these matters, each and every one of them, cost money."

"The government offices...sigh, especially when these江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) friends are involved, it's even more difficult..."

As he spoke, he skillfully rubbed his right thumb and forefinger together.

His gaze, like a hook, drifted toward the bulging bundle that the Fire-Worker Monk had placed at his feet.

A burly man with a pointed mouth and monkey-like face immediately chimed in, complaining about his predicament.

"Your Excellency, the Registrar, please be wise!"

"In this desolate wilderness, the brothers' legs are worn out, and the soles of their shoes are completely worn thin!"

"We still need to pay for these 'shoe expenses,' right?"

"Besides, so many dead people bring heavy yin energy and bad luck, which might offend the brothers. This 'soothing medicine money'..."

Hu Dianshi waved his hand at the opportune moment, appearing both considerate and helpless towards his subordinates.

"Alright, all you do is complain."

He turned to Chen Yuan, took a half-step closer, lowered his voice, and adopted a sincere tone.

"Young hero, I can see that you have a chivalrous heart and are dedicated to eliminating evil for the people."

"In that case, the government will try its best to cover some of these miscellaneous expenses for you. However..."

His voice was even lower, almost a whisper.

"If this case is to be resolved cleanly and without leaving any future troubles, we need to smooth things over with the higher-ups and all parties involved."

"If it's convenient for you, young hero, would you mind... expressing a small token of your 'kindness'?"

"So that the brothers and sisters will not have taken this responsibility in vain, nor have they worked so hard for nothing."

The meaning is self-evident once the words have been said.

ask for money.

If no money is paid, this "chivalry" becomes "unauthorized killing," and this "merit" becomes "sin."

Chen Yuan stared at Hu Dianshi's face, which seamlessly switched between official business and greedy shrewdness, and remained silent for a long time.

He didn't speak, but only glanced at Zhang Wuji.

Standing beside Chen Yuan, Zhang Wuji heard everything clearly, his face showing a mixture of confusion and anger.

He couldn't understand why killing the bad guys and saving the child didn't bring him praise.

It was a blatant, calculated "deal".

Chen Yuan spoke.

"Kid, do you still want to report this to the authorities?"

Zhang Wuji stared at Hu Dianshi with angry eyes.

"They are all bad people."

"Bad people deserve to die."

After saying this in a low voice, Chen Yuan turned his gaze to Hu Dianshi.

When Hu Dianshi was enveloped by that gaze, his hair stood on end, as if a cold needle was pressed against his throat.

He suddenly realized something.

These few fierce men in front of them dared to kill even members of the Beggars' Sect, so how could they possibly take these few low-ranking yamen runners seriously?

Hu Dianshi's greed vanished instantly, replaced by a thoroughly mocking smile and utter fear.

"Young hero, what I was saying just now was all a joke..."

"alright."

Chen Yuan interrupted him.

"I know whether it's a joke or not, please leave."

Hu Dianshi felt as if he had been granted a pardon, smiled apologetically, and quickly bowed.

"We're leaving now...we're leaving now..."

The other yamen runners who came with them still looked somewhat resentful, feeling that they had lost face, but Hu Dianshi glared at them and shut them up.

The group returned to where they came from.

As they walked out of the dilapidated gate of the Dragon King Temple, Chen Yuan suddenly called out to them.

"Gentlemen, about today's events..."

"Young hero!"

Hu Dianshi turned around with incredible speed, cupped his hands, bowed extremely low, and blurted out.

"Rest assured, young hero!"

"What happened today is known only to Heaven and Earth. We would rather keep it buried in our hearts than utter a single word!"

These people just packed their bags and left.

They have elderly and young families here; offending anyone would mean certain death, so keeping quiet is the best option.

Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Why are you answering so quickly?"

Hu Dianshi had a forced smile on his face, but the other party's next words made his smile disappear.

"You answered incorrectly!"

"Did I...answer wrong?"

Hu Dianshi looked up blankly, thinking he had misheard.

"I want you to spread this exactly as it was!"

Chen Yuanlang said in a loud voice.

"Everything that happened today was done by me, Chen Yuan."

"If I never hear of this in the martial arts world afterward..."

"Your fate..."

Before he could finish speaking, he winked at the Fire-Worker Monk and gestured towards the dilapidated wall of the Dragon King Temple.